Heavy traffic jams exceeding 20 km occurred on several Japanese expressways on May 3, 2026, as travelers headed to leisure destinations [1, 2].
These delays highlight the recurring infrastructure strain during the latter half of Golden Week, one of Japan's busiest annual travel periods. The surge in vehicle volume typically creates significant bottlenecks on major arteries leading away from urban centers.
Congestion was particularly severe on the down-direction of several key routes. On the Kan-etsu Expressway, a jam reached 23 km near the Sakado-West Smart Interchange [2]. Similar delays were reported on the Tohoku Expressway, where traffic stretched 21 km near the Kuki Interchange [2].
The Tomei Expressway also saw a 21 km backup near the Ebina Service Area [2]. Additionally, the Chuo Expressway experienced a 17 km jam near the Sagamiko Interchange [2]. These conditions persisted from May 2 into the morning of May 3, with reports indicating peak congestion around 11:30 a.m. [1, 2].
While current observations show jams in the 17-23 km range, some forecasts had predicted nationwide maximums of up to 45 km during the latter half of the holiday period [5]. In other regions, such as Shikoku, predictions for May 3 suggested maximum jams of up to 10 km [6].
The high volume of travelers heading to tourist spots continues to challenge the capacity of the expressway network during this window [1, 2].
“Traffic jams exceeding 20 km reported on multiple highways”
The scale of these delays underscores the persistent gap between Japan's highway capacity and the peak demand generated by Golden Week. While the observed 23 km jams are significant, they remain below the worst-case projections of 45 km, suggesting that while the network is strained, it is operating within the upper bounds of predicted holiday volatility.
